Senior Public Affairs Advisor - Brisbane​/Sydney

Senior Public Affairs Advisor - Brisbane / Sydney

United Workers Union

We are seeking an experienced and strategic Senior Public Affairs Advisor to lead and shape our public relations efforts. This role is open to applicants from Brisbane or Sydney on a 12-month fixed term contract.

This senior-level role is pivotal in managing the organisation’s reputation, strengthening relationships with key stakeholders, and developing high-impact communication strategies that align with our goals.

United Workers’ Union is a powerful member‑led union whose sole purpose is to serve the collective interests of members in workplaces and communities by winning significant and long‑lasting gains.

The Union is driving change by growing union membership, developing leadership amongst our members, encouraging active member participation in the union, building and enforcing standards in our sectors, and campaigning both politically and in the community.

As a union with a proudly diverse membership, we are committed to equity and inclusion; and continuing to build a union that is truly representative of the workers we cover. We encourage applications from people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds, people from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, LGBTQIA+ people and women.

Strategic Public Relations Management

• Develop and implement comprehensive public relations and communications strategies to enhance the organisation’s reputation, portfolios and public image.
• Provide expert advice to senior leadership on media engagement, public relations trends, and crisis communication.

Media Relations

• Build and maintain strong relationships with journalists, editors, and other media professionals.
• Act as the primary (unnamed) spokesperson for the organisation when required.
• Draft and distribute press releases, statements, and opinion pieces to ensure consistent and impactful media coverage.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Foster relationships with key external stakeholders
• Collaborate with internal teams to ensure consistent messaging across all stakeholder interactions.

Content Development

• Oversee the creation of public‑facing materials, including speeches, reports, newsletters, and campaign content.
• Ensure content is tailored to target audiences and is clear, persuasive, and on‑message.

Internal Communications

• Contribute to as directed, the creation and delivery of internal communications, ensuring employees are kept informed, engaged, and aligned with organisational objectives.

Mentorship and Leadership

• Mentor and provide guidance to junior team members, fostering their professional development.
• Contribute to building a culture of excellence and innovation within the communications team.

Monitoring & Reporting

• Monitor the effectiveness of strategies, tracking key performance indicators (KPIs).
• Provide regular reports on communications performance and recommend adjustments to improve impact.

Growth & Retention

• Contribute to content strategies and campaigns that drive audience growth, engagement, and retention.
• Implement tactics to nurture and expand digital communities, fostering long‑term member engagement.
• Analyse audience behaviours and preferences to tailor content that enhances the audience and member experience.

Brand & Reputation Management

• Ensure content reflects and enhances the UWU’s brand identity and values.
• Monitor online sentiment and engage with audiences to maintain a positive brand image.
• Support crisis communications and reputation management efforts through timely, accurate, and thoughtful content.

Collaboration, Stakeholder Engagement & Active Team Member

• Work closely with the teams across UWU to ensure cohesive messaging.
• Liaise with external vendors or freelancers, as needed, for specialised content production.
• Cover other roles of the Public Affairs team as necessary due to leave, assignment or other operational necessities.

Trend Analysis & Innovation

• Stay up-to-date with digital trends, tools, and platforms to innovate communications strategies.
• Experiment with new content formats to engage and grow audiences.

Qualifications

• A degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism,…